80 for Brady Blu-ray Review

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Tom Brady was, almost indisputably, the greatest NFL quarterback of all time. Not everyone appreciates Brady though, and 80 for Brady sums up that disdain. Acting as a first time movie producer, Brady funnels money into a movie about him, his fanatical elderly fans, and treats it all with a saccharin artificiality that’s less offensive than it is hopelessly ridiculous.

The NFL has their own hooks in here too, with this all-star cast forced to spout lines like, “We have to get to the NFL Experience now!” selling the branding in such an emphatic way as to reduce 80 for Brady to a glossy commercial. Rarely does the NFL court an older demographic, more interested in getting those 30-somethings to buy jerseys, stadium beer, and enter fantasy football leagues. This movie, through Brady, aims to catch not only the older audience, but women too.

80 for Brady goes for absurdity, ruining any genuine emotion

For Lily Tomlin, Sally Field, Jane Fonda, and Rita Moreno, this material is beneath them. The geriatric comedy sub-genre suits their talents and strengths, yet the script’s outlandishness never approaches plausibility. What seems ludicrous at first (Tomlin winning a QB accuracy game) turns farcical as the women enter the stadium by performing a dance routine for a guard. Or, breaking into the play call room, talking directly to a receptive Brady, and never once being escorted out.

80 for Brady isn’t true in nearly every aspect despite the “inspired by a true story” tagline, other than the four women being Brady fans. Instead, it uses that fandom not to tell these women’s story, rather to make Brady glow. Imagine a random woman speaking through Brady’s helmet headset when the Patriots were down 28-3 in the Super Bowl, and rather than express raw anger, he uses her speech as motivation to win it all. Because there’s nothing else to this story beyond a one page pitch, 80 for Brady goes for absurdity, ruining any genuine emotion buried under the nonsense.

Between the four starring women, they share twelve Oscar nominations and five wins. Why or how they took this project is baffling, other than a need to put more older women on movie screens in something other than generic grandmother roles. They’re feisty and fun, just not in any remotely reasonable way. The ancient, “It’s just a movie,” retort doesn’t fit when the project seems built on ego – or for egotistical reasons.

Video

Pedestrian digital video has spunk, but it’s not much better than mundane. Patriots red and blue shine, showing zest in saturation. Stadium shots bring spectacle, even if stock footage. Vibrancy is the best part of this disc. Contrast and black levels both shine as well, but the vividness steals the attention.

A little noise/artificial grain hovers over the image harmlessly, not robbing any texture or fidelity. Close-ups draw as much detail as possible, although cinematography prefers a softer touch. Digital smoothing on Jane Fonda is pervasive, and stock shots from cities or stadiums compress heavily. Overall though, 80 for Brady leaves no long term impression visually, and it’s as dynamic as a bland TV series.

Audio

Dolby Atmos gives the music space, but saves the rest for game time. Stadium scenes come alive thanks to the crowd, although this is mundane too. Heights barely activate in any notable way. The subwoofer punches up the score a bit, however minor that might be.

Extras

Four featurettes are nothing beyond EPK fluff. The only meat comes from deleted scenes – all three of them.

Full disclosure: This Blu-ray was provided to us for review. This has not affected the editorial process. For information on how we handle review material, please visit our about us page to learn more.

The following six screen shots serve as samples for our subscription-exclusive set of 47 full resolution, uncompressed HD screen shots grabbed directly from the Blu-ray: